In modern photography, a user typically purchases an unexposed photographic filmstrip at a point of sale, loads it into a camera, and exposes one or more images onto the filmstrip. When the filmstrip has been completely exposed, the user provides the exposed filmstrip to a service facility (such as a retail outlet) where it is chemically developed to provide the images in an essentially fixed, unalterable form. These images are usually printed at the service facility by an optical printer to provide the user with one or more positive prints of each user exposed image. So called digital processing labs have also previously been disclosed in which, following developing, the user images on the filmstrip are scanned to obtain corresponding image signals (typically digital image signals), which can then be processed as desired. The positive prints can then be directly printed from the resulting image signal using any known type of printers, such as laser printers, inkjet or thermal dye transfer printers. Such digital processing labs offer advantages including the ability to digitally enhance or correct user images, and to additionally provide the user image on a digital storage medium or transmit it to remote locations. Data used in controlling developing or processing conditions (such as print exposure or print size) can be provided from optical or magnetic codes on the film. Such techniques are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,204,707, 4,678,299, 5,006,878, 5,151,726, 5,319,403 and 5,404,196.
It has been previously known to combine user images with other images. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,453 describes a method to pre-expose a portion of an image frame of a filmstrip. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,187,512 and 5,613,165 disclose arrangements for pre-exposing all user image frames of a filmstrip with a single object such as a perimeter. During such pre-exposure a mask is provided to prevent exposure of a portion of each image frame which will be exposed by the user. A complementary mask is provided in the camera in which a user exposes such a filmstrip to prevent the pre-exposed border from again being exposed by the user. Thus, for example, a user can obtain all his images with a border with a holiday or other occasion theme, which is predetermined by the film manufacturer. Such techniques though, require masking during the pre-exposure step and in the camera during exposure of user images, and it is necessary to ensure proper alignment of each pre-exposed region with the camera mask. Further, the same single pre-exposed object will appear in all the user images. This limits the user's choices to either buying such a pre-exposed film or a regular film, after which point the choice is irrevocable.
There has recently been introduced a camera system known as the Advanced Photo System ("APS"). In this system, a transparent magnetic layer on the film records data such as the type described in the above patents. A code can also be recorded which indicates to a developer that the final print desired by the user is in one of three formats namely, HDTV, conventional, or panoramic (H, L, or P, respectively). The developer crops and enlarges the image during printing accordingly. If a standard pre-exposed border was provided for all image frames as in the above described systems, this would result in some printed images having the border cut-off depending upon where the image is cropped.
It would be desirable then, to provide a means by which a user could form a combined image from a user exposed image and another image (such as an image perimeter), without the need for masks during pre-exposure or in the camera. It would further be desirable that the user can select among different ones of other images with which user exposed images can be combined.